Fees and Surcharges

That's utter nonsense.  And AT&T lies about it.  They lied about it to me just yesterday, and numerous times before in both Billing and Customer Loyalty (Retention).  The "Broadcast TV surcharge" fee is NOT "......government mandated, and we have no control over it."   

Because of the constant service issues I have, I was offered a larger reduction off of the slow 18 kbps Internet I get, and nothing was changed on my U-Verse TV package, they raised this fee from 5.99 to 7.99.  Then Billing tells me, "This is an error.  We will correct this and tell them (unnamed party!) that they cannot do this to existing customers, only to new customers."

Well, I argued with Retention when it did not disappear, and the agent just made excuses, and said there were no notes from that agent regarding this fee.  This is EXACTLY what AT&T does - it LIES to its customers, promises you something, and then purposely does not notate it so they can say, "There is no notation that we promised you that, and we have no control over this fee."  Lie after lie after lie.  This is how they run their business.  It's beyond despicable.

sueemail,

You are EXACTLY correct.  Most of these "fees" are NOT governmental fees or taxes.  The Broadcast TV Surcharge they outright LIED to me about repeatedly, saying it was "A government fee we have no control over" when it is NOT.  They just raised that fee in Jan. 2019 from $4.99 to $5.99.  Then, when they gave me an additional discount on the slow 18 kbps internet I have, with NO change to my U-verse TV package, they hiked the Broadcast fee to $7.99 !!!

I then call a billing agent about this increase, and SHE LIES, telling me that "we will have it corrected back to $5.99, and let the authorities know they cannot raise fees on an existing customer", but she purposely did not notate this in her one sentence note, so now AT&T's RETENTION, argues with me, & says that since there is no notation by this agent about the Fee, they have no control over it, and that it is a governmental fee.  Just unbelievable how they are trained to try to get out of what you are promised, and their whole system is designed to do so.

I get this slow 18 kbps, since they can't provide any higher speed since they don't have a fiber node near my house (ridiculous, & shows how CHEAP they are), so not only is my internet speed suboptimal, but the distance the signal runs on copper lines to reach the fiber node is what is the CAUSE of this problem.  These copper lines frequently develop 'shorts' in the wires caused by the weather - rain, cold, snow, heat - ALL of them.  And when problems in transmission occur, it gets to the point that the picture breaks up, with extreme pixelization, freezes, sound interruptions, and total failure, that they have to come out and spend hours trying to chase problems that their meters see on the way over to the house, but disappear by the time they get here.  Then I am down for 4-6 hours while they test everything they can, sometimes finding problems, other times not knowing what to do.

This is how incompetent and poorly designed and managed their whole systems are.  It is beyond pathetic.  I can't wait until I sell my house, and never utilize their services again.

@WillChicago - package prices always go up in February and are described here (but not the surcharges).

@_xyzzy_ 

I said January, but they always bill one month in advance.  Yes, I had to twist their arm to keep the package price near the same, as they underhandedly don't tell you the REAL policy unless you argue with them about being in a promotion.  That is when you find out that the DISCOUNT is off the bundle price, but they can raise the bundle price, and then your rate goes up.  This borders on dishonesty, and is a perfect example of AT&T playing games with its pricing.  When I used to have Comcast, at least at that time, the promotion you were under never had plan rate hikes during the promotional period.

Thanks, because the link you provided DOES address Broadcast TV Surcharge fees, and states that they CANNOT be raised while the customer has the same TV package.  So, AT&T is violating their own rules, and I will call them and demand they comply.

@WillChicago 

Thanks, because the link you provided DOES address Broadcast TV Surcharge fees, and states that they CANNOT be raised while the customer has the same TV package

I think that's a mistake.  I saw that too and questioned it but obviously it was never removed from that page.  That has never been the policy.  New increases always appear whether you on a promo or not.  And att promos have always been a discount on whatever the current prices are at any point in time.

That boradcast tv surcharge is bound to go up even more next February because even as we "speak" threads are appearing in the tv forums from people complaining about the loss of "their" channels (due to contract renegotiations).  They always blame att for this problem as being "greedy" and never seem to blame the networks for pulling the channels as an extortion tactic knowing how the user's will react.  So in the end att bends over backwards, pays more for the channels, and then users complain in February again about the increased broadcast tv surcharge (among all the others).  Att can't win here.   Just once I wish att would stand its ground against the networks and try to end this ever increasing price spiral on that surcharge at least.

@WillChicago 

Come on.....a MISTAKE?  It is there clear as day, and you call it a MISTAKE?   Do you really think I or anyone is vacuous enough to fall for that?   Who are you working for -  AT&T?

Humans construct these webpages.  Do you assume all of them are "perfect" and don't make mistakes.  Learn to live in the real world.

And don't make excuses on the Broadcast TV Surcharge. You are attempting to use that as another lame excuse for AT&T violating their agreement to provide xyz channels on a package.

Find me anywhere in the terms of service that states that you agreed too when signing on for the service you are guaranteed channels x, y, and z.  Those TOS say "AT&T also reserves the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, at any time and from time to time, the Services (or any function or feature of the Services or any part thereof) without liability." (section 8). 

And, despite their claims that they "are doing everything to keep these channels", they've just GONE OUT! I cannot even watch VH-1 on their website

And I couldn't care less about VH1.  I don't watch that channel and why should I have to pay a higher broadcast surcharge fee because you want that crap channel (crap to me that is)?  I hope it never comes back.

I'll make the plans to get the cord as I should have 2 years ago...

Please, go now.

This discussion has now spiraled out of control.  I'm done debating with you.  Bye.

@_xyzzy_ 

When you get caught & tangled up in your own web of false information, you just make more absurd claims, which just dig you deeper in the hole of your own creation:

"Humans construct these webpages.  Do you assume all of them are "perfect" and don't make mistakes.  Learn to live in the real world."

AND, your prior response:

"I think that's a mistake.  I saw that too and questioned it but obviously it was never removed from that page.  That has never been the policy. "

What utter nonsense.  Now, you become nasty, since your meaningless excuses I have PROVEN WRONG. 

HERE is that statement CLEARLY in print on AT&T's own pages, states, copied & pasted verbatim:

"This discussion has now spiraled out of control.  I'm done debating with you.  Bye."

Bye to YOU. 

[Please keep it courteous]

@_xyzzy_   Just to offset the nasty post above....

{shrug} I've been somewhat unsatisfied with every entertainment provider contract & pricing that I've ever subscribed to, including AT&T. I've found *all* of them to operate in much the same way, with needlessly complicated pricing structures that include multiple fees with confusing origins. However, I've always understood that this is the playing field I'm choosing to enter. I'm always aware that I can just stick an antenna on my TV & call it a day. Some of the "cord cutter" options out there seem a little more straightforward in pricing, but I haven't taken a serious look at them yet. Good luck in getting things resolved to your satisfaction.